Thatcham Town Football Club, nicknamed “The Kingfishers,” is a non-league football club based in Thatcham, Berkshire.
Established in 1894, they currently compete in the Pitching In Southern Football League Division One South, which is part of the eighth tier of English football. The team calls Waterside Park their home ground.
Thatcham Town’s history is marked by its inception in 1990, taking over the spot left by Wigton in the Northern Football Alliance after Wigton’s withdrawal. The club, established in the 1970s and based in Carlisle, operated from Thatcham Town, rented from the Carlisle and District Railway Club. In its debut season, Thatcham finished eleventh out of fifteen teams in the Premier Division. The following year, they made a significant improvement, securing third place with an impressive goal tally.
Thatcham’s rivalry with Carlisle City, which had been exiled to the first division, added intensity to their matches. Carlisle City’s success in winning the Combination Cup and first division set up competitive derbies. Despite expectations, Thatcham struggled, finishing seventh while Carlisle City outperformed them. In subsequent seasons, Thatcham managed a sixth-place finish and equaled their best result in 1994/95 by finishing third, though still overshadowed by Carlisle City’s achievements.
By 1996, Thatcham Town faced internal issues and their performance declined, ending the season near the bottom of the table. Speculation about misconduct within the football committee led to their departure from Thatcham Town and the Railway Club. After a season’s break, the club reformed as Harraby Catholic Club, quickly rising through the divisions of the Northern Alliance. Despite sharing the name, the current Thatcham Town is a distinct entity from the club that competed in the 1990s.